Innehållsförteckning för 2024-12-24 från Cape Times

There have been mixed reactions from opposition parties to the government’s plan to move ahead with the implementation of the National Health Insurance (NHI), with a board expected to be appointed next year. ActionSA posed a parliamentary question to the Department of Health on what specific targets and benchmarks have been set for the implementation of the NHI. In response, the department said that Phase 1 of the implementation of the NHI is for a period of four years from 2023 to 2026. A board is expected to be appointed by November 2025, while draft regulations are expected to be published soon for public comment. The department said that the associated costs are part of the current Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) allocations to the department for this period of Phase…

‘All the Christmas groceries and clothes people bought have been burned’ WHEN Sizakele Baba received a phone call during his night shift that shacks were on fire, he had hope he would make it home in time to save some belongings. Unfortunately, like many other Masiphumelele residents, all his possessions burned to ashes early Monday morning, just two days before Christmas. “I rushed to my area from work because I thought maybe the flames were still far. The fire had already reached my home and it was up in flames. It’s truly devastating to watch your hard-earned possessions burn. “All the Christmas groceries and clothes people bought have been burned and we are left with what we are currently wearing. Our neighbours went to the Eastern Cape and other provinces…

A dispersing male baboon was captured by the SPCA yesterday morning after it had caused a stir in the southern suburbs area near Grassy Park, traipsing across rooftops. The baboon was spotted in the area by residents who reported their sightings in their yards via social media, before he was captured. Cape of Good Hope SPCA spokesperson, Belinda Abraham, confirmed they captured the baboon and had taken it into care. “The baboon was safely captured by the SPCA (on Tuesday) morning and is currently in our care. “We are awaiting guidance from the authorities with regards to a safe release site,” said Abraham. Last week, the Cape Peninsula Baboon Management Joint Task Team (CPBMJTT) consisting of representatives from SANParks, CapeNature, and the City, announced their partnership with Shark Spotters. CPBMJTT…

IN yet another horrific GBV incident, a Hawks officer allegedly killed his wife inside of a neighbours house he had chased her into. The 41-year-old warrant officer was expected to appear at the Stellenbosch Magistrate’s Court yesterday facing a charge of murder. This follows his arrest at the weekend. According to Independent Police Investigative Directorate (IPID) spokesperson Phaladi Shuping the police officer had an argument with his wife at their Khayamnandi home on Saturday. “The 41-year-old wife ran out of the house but the police officer allegedly followed her and fired several shots. “The wife ran into the neighbour's house but the police officer allegedly followed her inside the house, and fired several shots again, in full view of the residents in the house,” said Shuping The woman was declared…

THE year 2024 started with much hope and possibilities – an annus expectationem as opposed to an annus horribilis. But the roadmap for 2024 was already set in 2023 by the perversity of the ongoing internecine conflicts in Ukraine and in the Middle East. As we approach the close of the year, the two defiant protagonists in the Ukraine conflict were hellbent on bombing each other with tit-for-tat drone and missile attacks in Kyiv, western Kursk and as far afield as Kazan, the capital of Tatarstan, almost a thousand kilometres from Moscow. The political assassination of Russian Lieutenant-Genenal Igor Kirillov, head of the Radiation, Biological and Chemical Defence Forces, in December is simply adding fuel to the fire. In the Middle East, the unexpected collapse of President Bashar Al Asad…

Germany searched yesterday for answers on possible security lapses after a man drove his car into a Christmas market, killing at least five people and casting a renewed spotlight on security and immigration ahead of a snap election. The possible motive of the arrested suspect, a 50-year-old psychiatrist from Saudi Arabia with a history of anti-Islamic rhetoric and a sympathy for the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, remains unknown. The man, identified only as Taleb A, had left video messages on his social media X account on the day of the attack. In rambling commentary, he variously blamed Germany’s supposed liberalism for the death of Socrates, an ancient Greek philosopher, and accused police of stealing a USB stick from him and destroying a criminal complaint he had filed. The…

US President Joe Biden yesterday commuted the sentences for 37 out of 40 federal inmates on death row, converting them to life in prison without parole before he hands over power to President-elect Donald Trump on January 20. Biden’s move will frustrate Trump’s plan to resume a rapid pace of executions. Unlike executive orders, clemency decisions cannot be reversed by a president’s successor, although the death penalty can be sought more aggressively in future cases. Trump restarted federal executions after a nearly 20-year pause during his first term in office from 2017 to 2021. Biden put federal executions on hold when he took office in January 2021. He has faced pressure from congressional Democrats to commute federal death sentences before he leaves. Biden’s decision also does not affect the nearly…

Corbin Bosch can hardly imagine the week he’s enjoying. It’s almost as if Christmas came early – and not just once but twice! It was only last week when Proteas Test coach Shukri Conrad put his arm around Bosch at the Wally Watson Oval in Cape Town to inform the 30-year-old Titans all-rounder of his maiden call-up to the Proteas’ Test squad for the coming series against Pakistan. Bosch, who was playing for the SA Invitational XI, wore a silly smirk on his face for the remainder of the four-day match against the England Lions. The fact that the Pakistan series opener was set to be played at his home ground, SuperSport Park in Centurion, added to the excitement. But before any of that could transpire, Bosch got another call.…

The Department of Basic Education’s (DBE) legal team is studying an Infringement Notice by the Information Regulator (IR) which ordered the DBE to pay an administrative fine of R5 million. According to the IR, the fine comes after the department failed to comply with an Enforcement Notice issued by the regulator last month. On November 18, the regulator had issued the Enforcement Notice after finding the DBE contravened various sections of the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). The Enforcement Notice had ordered the DBE to provide an undertaking “that it will not publish the results of the 2024 matriculants in the newspapers” within 31 days from the date on which the order was served. It also ordered that the department “must not publish the results for the 2024 matriculants…

SPREADING the Christmas spirit of giving, the Animal Welfare Society of SA (AWS) brought joy to residents of the Springfield informal settlement in Philippi with a Christmas party which included handing out gifts and educating children about animal welfare. The AWS team was met by an excited crowd accompanied by well-cared-for pets who swarmed around Father Christmas and his team of AWS Elves in anticipation of their gifts and spoils for their pets. AWS spokesperson, Allan Perrins said the initiative in Springfield on Thursday was an inaugural event and one they planned on hosting in the future. “We got to know the community well, particularly during the winter storms when we extended our support. Springfield, located just off Springfield Road in Philippi, was one of six communities we helped that…

TWO men who had been serving life imprisonment terms for the murder of a Knysna councillor have had their convictions and sentences overturned by the Constitutional Court. The sentences handed down in 2021 against Mawanda Makhala and Velile Waxa were set aside after the court found that the State failed to discharge the onus to prove their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. This was due to a state witness who made an about turn during trial and had told the court that he had lied to police in the two statements they relied on to convict the duo. Makhala – a former clerk in the housing department in the Knysna Municipality – and Waxa – a former independent councillor – were sentenced for the 2018 murder of slain councillor Mzukisi…

The South African Weather Service (SAWS) has predicted damaging winds and heavy rains across the country for the remaining days of 2024. In a statement on Tuesday, SAWS said the recent rains hit hard in places such as Mokopane in Limpopo, QwaQwa in the Free State, and Tembisa in Gauteng, and Centurion had to close off low-lying bridges. Over the next few days, the SAWS said potential severe thunderstorms can be expected across western Limpopo and northern Gauteng accompanied by localised flooding. "These warnings should serve as a clarion call for holidaymakers to use weather warnings for their planning and safety," said SAWS. The SAWS added that marginal clearance across the western Free State and northern and western regions of the Eastern Cape is expected on Christmas Eve. However, the…

In supporting SA designers, we should be careful not to desecrate our culture and heritage THERE is a moment in every black South African’s life when you end up at a traditional ceremony, surrounded by people dressed in overdecorated traditional attire. And you will find yourself thinking: “I am not sure this is okay”. Traditional ceremonies in our diverse communities are rarely a display of political correctness. But sometimes they cross the line between being “a bit of fun and fashion”, a phrase used frequently at traditional ceremonies, and full-on offensive. Not everyone in my social circles is good at choosing Umbaco or Imvunulo – the Xhosa or Zulu traditional attire. Some have the gift of sartorial certainty provided by the wisdom and guidance of strong intergenerational family and community…

Tension was mounting in Mozambique yesterday when the Constitutional Council, the nation’s highest court, confirmed the disputed October election results that extended the ruling Frelimo party’s half-century grip on power. Ruling party presidential candidate Daniel Chapo secured 65% of the vote, the seven-judge Bench ruled, revising down the initial results of nearly 71%. Opposition leader Venancio Mondlane vowed that there would “chaos” if the ruling party was confirmed as the winner in a stand-off that has already claimed at least 130 lives. The southern African country has been rocked by unrest since the election commission said that the October 9 vote was won by the candidate of the Frelimo party, which has held power since independence from Portugal in 1975. The Constitutional Council was expected to announce that it…

LONDON: Donald Trump’s transition team is pushing to pull the US out of the World Health Organization (WHO), according to experts who warn of the “catastrophic” impact it would have on global health, the Financial Times (FT) reported. Members of Trump’s team told the experts of their intention to announce a withdrawal from the global health body on the president-elect’s January 20 inauguration. The departure would remove the WHO’s biggest source of funds. Lawrence Gostin, a professor of global health at Georgetown Law, said there would be “very lean years for the WHO where it will struggle to respond to health emergencies and will have to reduce its scientific staff considerably.” | Xinhua…

It’s been a year of buzzworthy health trends and few have dominated the conversation quite like semaglutide, the active ingredient in the weight loss drugs Ozempic and Wegovy. From Hollywood A-listers to everyday folks, these medications have been heralded as game-changers in the battle against obesity. For some, they’ve sparked dramatic transformations – so much so that terms like “Ozempic face” have entered the cultural lexicon, a nod to the gaunt appearance caused by rapid weight loss. But beyond the headlines and celebrity endorsements, these drugs are tied to a much bigger picture: obesity, a condition that affects millions and has long been a burden on both personal health and the healthcare system. With over 200 diseases linked to obesity, curbing its prevalence could mark a monumental shift for public…

The National Minimum Wage Commission has proposed the national minimum wage (NMW) hike for 2025, recommending an increase of CPI +1.5%, according to a statement from the Department of Employment and Labour. This is after the commission invited written representations on potential adjustments to the NMW for 2025. Last week the NMW commission published a report in the Government Gazette that outlined the commission's recommendations for the annual review of the national minimum wage as well as an invitation for the public to submit their written representations. The deadline for the written representation is January 14, 2025. According to the department, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures changes in the prices paid by consumers for goods and services over time, is a key factor in these considerations. For November…

The festive season is a time typically marked by joy, celebration and indulgence. Those of us fortunate enough to gather around an abundant table must spare a thought for the downtrodden and impoverished members of our communities. Extreme poverty in major cities such as Durban, Johannesburg, and Cape Town has become a grim reality, forcing many migrants to scavenge for food in affluent suburbs. These individuals are not merely statistics; they are mothers, fathers, children and the elderly and deserve dignity and compassion. The festive season often means buying and preparing an excess of food that many of us will casually throw away. Instead of discarding leftover food, donate it to those in need. Christmas time is often portrayed as a time for giving, but this spirit should extend beyond…

The recent approval by the US Congress of the $895 billion defence policy bill for 2025 is a sobering reminder of Washington’s insatiable appetite for military spending. Behind the rhetoric of “defending the homeland” and “countering global adversaries”, the primary driver of the record-breaking National Defense Authorization Act for fiscal year 2025 appears to be more about the expansion of US military hegemony, a goal that often destabilises other regions and feeds into its own military-industrial complex. The staggering US military outlay continues to rise, an endless cycle that has persisted from the Vietnam War to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, where US military intervention often exacerbated rather than mitigated conflicts. Today, the focus has shifted to the so-called “great power competition”, a narrative fuelling global tensions and justifying…

An official from one of only two functioning hospitals in northern Gaza said yesterday that Israeli forces were continuing to target his facility and urged the international community to intervene before “it is too late”. Hossam Abu Safiyeh, director of Kamal Adwan hospital in the city of Beit Lahia, described the situation at the medical facility as “extremely dangerous and terrifying” owing to shelling by Israeli forces. The Israeli military denied that the hospital was being targeted. Safiyeh said that the hospital, which was treating 91 patients, had been targeted yesterday by Israeli drones. “This morning, drones dropped bombs in the hospital’s courtyards and on its roof,” said Safiyeh. “The shelling, which also destroyed nearby houses and buildings, did not stop throughout the night.” The shelling and bombardment had caused…

The South African sides resumed their United Rugby Championship (URC) campaigns with two humdinger clashes this past weekend. A late score saw the Stormers triumph over the Lions, but the win was all but comfortable in Cape Town, while a depleted Sharks side trumped the Bulls thanks to a late converted penalty. The local derbies are never without any controversy and again in Durban the visiting side will likely feel aggrieved by some refereeing calls that didn't go their way, especially when their scrum demolished the Sharks but in the end, received little reward for it. In the DHL Stadium, a red card tied one hand behind the Lions' backs and when they played with 13 men after a yellow card in the second half, the Stormers managed to score…